NEW KINGSTON Wharves Managing Director, Grantley Stephenson, has a very challenging task ahead of him, as he seeks to transform KWL into "a first class multi-purpose facility with greater levels of efficiency, a more diverse and broad customer base and increased profitability for sustainable growth".
This is the vision Mr. Stephenson has for the public wharf company, and by all indications, he is ready for the task, and rightly so, as he brings more than 20 years experience in the field of shipping, ship owning and operations, ship management and ship agency representation, which he acquired in Mexico, the United Kingdom and Jamaica.
"KWL has an experienced staff complement and with the continuation of the rehabilitation of the physical facilities, I see KWL becoming an even more efficient and vibrant multi-purpose wharf possessing all the ingredients to be an attractive facility to Shipping Lines. In addition, it is crucial that KWL develops a complementary relationship with the Container Terminal in order to take advantage of new opportunities" the new MD explains.
OPPORTUNITIES
In relation to opportunities, Mr. Stephenson foresees "'a unique opportunity' for KWL to galvanise the support of all the stakeholders, including staff, to buy into the vision, which is so important to achieving the stated objective of revitalising the company and improving profitability".
"KWL is a multi-purpose facility, which should be seen as a niche port. Already KWL is facing competition even from Sufferance Wharves and must therefore aim to perform above optimal levels, exercise great control over costs, improve the physical facilities and continue raising efficiency levels in order to play its part in assuring the continued viability," he observes.
The Immediate Past President of the Shipping Association of Jamaica (SAJ) and the former Chief Executive Officer of Seaboard Jamaica the local operations for Seaboard Marine Stephenson says he is right for the job and the demanding positions he has held in the past have prepared him for the task at KWL. "My years as President of SAJ honed my leadership skills, which will play a critical role in the success of the company and my years at Seaboard has placed me in a position to better understand their needs- to serve them better. I bring considerable training and experience- proven leadership skills and a thorough understanding of what it takes to win and retain customers in this industry," he says.
MAJOR CHALLENGES
According to Mr. Stephenson, he intends to position KWL to respond to the major challenges, especially as it relates to increasing revenue, improving efficiency levels, completing the rehabilitation programme, re-organising some aspects of the operational flow with a view to reducing pedestrian traffic and increasing the level of awareness of safety and security issues among staff and customers.
Without making any promises, the New Managing Director, who officially started duties on October 1, notes that shareholders can expect a major drive to increase profitability, while KWL workers can expect fairness someone always willing to listen, encourage and motivate, but one who will not accept mediocrity!
SECURITY
The question of security is also high on Mr. Stephenson's agenda. In fact, around the same time he was made MD, he was also appointed Chairman of the KWL subsidiary Security Administrators Limited (SAL), the main provider of security on the ports of Kingston and Montego Bay. His strategy is to capitalise on the agency's highly skilled security professionals especially in the area of anti-narcotic trafficking, and extend security service to other local ports and even others overseas.
"I see an opportunity to not only leverage those skills and provide additional security services at other ports around the island, but also to provide some of the monitoring and response capabilities, which will become mandatory when the new security arrangements become effective... I see SAL looking further a field, providing consultancy services within the region in order to assist ports in other countries to gain and maintain certification under the new International Maritime Organisation (IMO) security Code", he explains.
